Jonnie Williams Testifies at Corruption Trial

Day four of the corruption trial of former Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, picked up where it left off the previous day—with the prosecution's star witness, Jonnie Williams.

The former Star Scientific CEO detailed the gifts and loans he provided to the former first family—and the point where he knew he believed he was crossing ethical and legal lines.

Listen

Listening...

/

1:02

Tommie McNeil reports from Richmond.

.

"The McDonnells were not my personal friends."

That's a quote by Williams, and he made similar statements in response to prosecutors. Williams detailed the trips in which Maureen McDonnell accompanied him to promote the company's product, "Anatabloc."

A video was played in which Maureen praises the product's potential if it could be studied and endorsed by doctors. In the video, she says Williams and her husband are good friends. Williams says at that point he had only met her husband 6 times, but he did not correct her because he needed the first family to promote his business and help him gain access to influential people.

He says that's why he provided Maureen with a shopping spree, paid for trips and getaways for the family, and provided loans. He says he drew the line at buying their daughter a car. Later, he considered allowing the governor to buy $50,000 of Star Scientific stock options at 10-cents on the dollar but decided against it because Williams did not want it to be disclosed.

Williams also admitted to blatantly lying on a disclosure form to hide his business relationship with the McDonnells.

Related Content

Jury selection began today in the federal corruption trial of former Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen.

Prosecutors allege that the former first couple promoted Star Scientific’s products in exchange for gifts and mortgage loans from the company’s former CEO, Jonnie Williams. But the first step on Monday was to try and choose a fair and impartial jury.

The former governor greeted reporters outside the courthouse with “Good morning,” and inquired how they were doing. One asked McDonnell if he was optimistic.

The second day of the federal corruption trial of former Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, began with instructions to the jury that they must be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt by the evidence—and not by leaks or media accounts.

Prosecutor Jessica Aber recounted the indictment’s theory that the McDonnells exchanged official acts for gifts and loans from former Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams. But the bombshells hit when the couple’s defense attorneys spoke.